SOMETHING HAS GONE awfully wrong in Trinidad and Tobago. The spate of murders there paints a picture of uneasiness and fear gripping that nation.
So that while this sorry carnage is not taking place on our shores, Barbadians must be concerned.
The twin-island republic is not just a close neighbour but a long-standing ally of Barbados with very close economic, trade, political, cultural and family ties.
People of Barbadian heritage can be found across Trinidad and the same is true of Trinbagonians in Barbados. The ties run deep.
This is why the killing rampage which has been unleashed there must be of more than passing interest to all of us. The commission of 32 murders in the first 19 days of this month indicates that something has gone drastically wrong.
These senseless and often brutal killings suggest that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is not on top of the situation. The situation indicate that the criminals have no regard for or fear of the authorities. They also points to failures on the part of the political directorate in handling the situation.
There is an air of uncertainty and insecurity. For the majority of law-abiding and decent people across that twin-island state, the spike in violent criminality is bringing not only infamy to their homeland but hardship to many families.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley must recognise that all roads lead to him and he cannot pass the buck. He is the one in command. His People’s National Movement criticised the former People’s Partnership government over its inability to stem the rising crime; it’s his party which promised solutions to this vexing issue.
Unfortunately for Trinidadians, the situation has gone from bad to worse. It has the potential to undermine Carnival, deter investors and create severe challenges for the expanding tourism sector, particularly in Tobago.
This killing spree recorded since the start of 2017 will make it difficult, if not near impossible, to reform that country’s economy, given the challenges that stem from heavy dependence on oil and oil-based products.
Mr Rowley must set some clear and realistic targets during the first quarter of this year if he is to contain the crime threat. The top priorities would be appointing a commissioner of police, filling the vacancies at the senior levels, and giving the new commissioner the opportunity to clean up the police service. Most importantly, the public must repose full confidence in the security services and be willing to work with them. This is about cooperation at the community level.
Failure to contain the spiralling crime will force some Trinidadians to relocate to other jurisdictions, which is why Prime Minister Rowley must do whatever is necessary to end the bloodbath. Law-abiding Trinidadians deserve to live free of fear.
